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Grex > Coop8 > #76: Arbornet Board Invites Grex, HVCN Board Members to Meeting | |
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| Author |
Message |
| 25 new of 229 responses total. |
robh
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response 100 of 229:
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Jul 7 15:14 UTC 1996 |
Saving money on rent is a good reason to merge. Not good
enough, though, IMHO.
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bru
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response 101 of 229:
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Jul 7 16:52 UTC 1996 |
Can't we just share the same space without merging?
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chelsea
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response 102 of 229:
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Jul 7 18:28 UTC 1996 |
We couldn't be as autonomous if we shared space.
And being autonomous is very, very important.
I think we need to keep saying this as long as there
are folks entertaining the idea.
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kerouac
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response 103 of 229:
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Jul 7 18:56 UTC 1996 |
The idea is that if the STAFFS merge, then both m-net and grex coudl
continue to both be up and runing. If m-net dies because of staf
inadequacy then grex will suffer as well because many mnetters will
simply come over here and occupy space. The best situation is for both
system to be fuctioning separaetly, and if the only way this can come to
continue is for there to be some merger on some level, then maybe it is
worth considering...
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janc
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response 104 of 229:
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Jul 7 19:24 UTC 1996 |
Well, nobody except Richard thinks it's a good idea.
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robh
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response 105 of 229:
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Jul 7 20:04 UTC 1996 |
Certainly none of the Grex staffers - the people who would be most
affected by this - think it's a good idea. kerouac, if we wanted
to be M-Net staffers as well as Grex staffers, we'd all be
M-Net staffers right now. It's not against our rules or anything.
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srw
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response 106 of 229:
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Jul 8 05:52 UTC 1996 |
No one wants to merge.
Sharing space is a different matter in my opinion. It has nothing to do with
merging, but rather could serve to keep costs down. I make a very clear
distinction. All talk of merging is just muddying the waters.
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tsty
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response 107 of 229:
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Jul 8 08:40 UTC 1996 |
and it s my considered opinion that even sharing a space would
turn out to be an extrordinarily expensive 'savings' in very short order.
both ideas, however, were certainly worthy topics for discussion.
i'm glad neither is considered appropriate for either system.
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remmers
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response 108 of 229:
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Jul 8 11:07 UTC 1996 |
If sharing space entailed sharing the rent, in such a way that if
one system defaulted then the other would be responsible for it,
I think it's a bad idea. As soon as two organizations' finances
become entangled, their autonomy is threatened.
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kerouac
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response 109 of 229:
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Jul 8 15:45 UTC 1996 |
You guys arent seeing the larger picture. Both grex and m-net have dwindling
memberships and need to find new ways to attract and keep members. How to do
that? If arbornet and grex merged boards and staffs, then a membership to the
combined entity would provide a user with member priviledge in BOTH boards for
the price of one. This would reduce one of the major member complaints: d own
time. If grex was down, they could log on to m-net and send e-mail from the s
ame address as they would if they were on grex. They could telnet or connect
to the net the same way they would on grex.
A merger would be a way of expanding member priviledges. It would improve the
service that is being provided. Right now neither board has long term security
because there arent that many people who want to donate just for the heck of
it, most will only do so based on what they can get for their money.
Both grex and m-net would remain editorially separate, but operationally
combining would help deal with a lot of crucial problems. Unless grex and
m-net can individually figure out any realistic ways to improve
memberservices, this is something that should be considered.
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scott
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response 110 of 229:
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Jul 8 16:09 UTC 1996 |
"Grex and M-net are exactly the same since they merged. Bummer. Maybe AOL
will be cooler."
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dpc
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response 111 of 229:
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Jul 8 16:09 UTC 1996 |
Due to vacations, I think we're looking at the joint meeting some time
in August. Linda Clippert *really* wants to be there, and I believe
she will be gone most of July.
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robh
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response 112 of 229:
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Jul 8 16:41 UTC 1996 |
I will be busy the entire weekend of August 10th/11th, other
than that I'm available for anything.
Re 109 - I think that merging Grex and M-Net would be a
wonderful new way for both systems to lose even more members.
Gods know I wouldn't want to be a member any more if we
merged.
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brighn
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response 113 of 229:
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Jul 8 18:36 UTC 1996 |
Dammit, Richard, 80 columns! If everyone else can handle it, so can you!
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void
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response 114 of 229:
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Jul 9 10:21 UTC 1996 |
and even if grex an m-net "simply shared space," it wouldn't be too long
before m-net started asking grex staff to do them all sorts of favors, or help
out, or lend a hand, or give assistance, or figure something out...
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janc
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response 115 of 229:
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Jul 9 14:02 UTC 1996 |
And grex staff could either do it (if they wanted to) or say no (if they
wanted to). So what's the big deal?
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kerouac
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response 116 of 229:
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Jul 9 15:51 UTC 1996 |
But m-net and grex wouldnt be exactly the same! They would be editorially
and in most other ways separate and as they are now. They would simply share
certain staff and physical resources and have a combined budget. This is
the way of the world. In order to survive, small companies sometimes have
to either combine or become wholly independent parts of larger entities. Like
Turner Broadcasting being purchased by Time/Warner. That doesnt mean CNN will
change or be anything less than it is now. simply that its foundations will
be more stable.
I think that there are a lot of folks on m-net who are convinced that grex
wants m-net to die. Given staff's attitude toward helping m-net in any way,
they may not be too far off. I think m-net's survival is important enough
grex's survival that a merger shouldnt be dismissed if that is what it
ultimately comes down to as the only option to keep m-net around.
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void
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response 117 of 229:
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Jul 9 18:26 UTC 1996 |
actually, i've seen members of grex's staff offer to help m-net several
times. i don't know how many offers were accepted. otoh, i think that if m-net
and grex were to share space (not necessarily merge), there's a likelihood
that each system would become a thorn in the side of the other. maybe i'm
wrong, but that's the way it looks to me.
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robh
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response 118 of 229:
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Jul 9 19:04 UTC 1996 |
I think it looks that way to most of us.
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rickyb
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response 119 of 229:
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Jul 9 21:36 UTC 1996 |
The current "way of the world" is for big mergers. OTOH, the individuals who
don't merge, but still survive, will be at a premium in the near future, imo.
Risky, perhaps, but more forward-thinking than 'keeping-up-with-the-Jones's'
will ever be.
I don't want mnet to die. I am not against sharing space. I would avoid any
co-dependancy.
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brighn
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response 120 of 229:
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Jul 9 22:19 UTC 1996 |
I don't want mnet to die. The sicker it gets, the more of
its less reputable members come over here to harass us.
(Disclaimer: not "less reputable"... there are plenty of cool
mnetters, many of whom are not currently grexers, i'm referring
specifically to the ones who are bitter about mnet and taking it
out on grex and the ones who are just plain jerks no matter where they go.)
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carson
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response 121 of 229:
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Jul 10 00:07 UTC 1996 |
wow. brighn and I agree.
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brighn
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response 122 of 229:
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Jul 10 02:27 UTC 1996 |
*for a brief moment, reality stopped*
*but nobody noticed, since all their perceptions stopped too*
*pretty heavy, huh?*
* =} *
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carson
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response 123 of 229:
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Jul 10 13:27 UTC 1996 |
yep. look at all the pretty sparkles, too. ;)
if cat allergies are going to be a sufficiently discouraging factor (and I
hope they aren't), there's the Michigan Union. You just have to beat the
students.
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ajax
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response 124 of 229:
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Jul 10 14:46 UTC 1996 |
Or call the AAPD and have *them* beat the students. ;)
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